Dallon woke up in a cold sweat. Dreams again; constant bad dreams. After so many weeks of seeing a shrink, shouldn't there have been some kind of improvement?

He wiped his face on his blankets, knowing that he'd have to wash the bedding in the morning. Kenny hated when he used the covers to wipe his sweat. He always complained about the lingering smell until getting everything into the wash.

Dallon looked to his side. Kenny wasn't occupying the space on the bed next to him. Dallon did a quick sweep of the room, but Kenny wasn't there.

Guilt suddenly flooded Dallon. Had he pushed Kenny to the couch again out of fear of disturbing a seemingly peaceful rest? It wasn't fair to his boyfriend to be stuck out there multiple nights just because of not wanting to disturb him.

"Ken?" Dallon called out with a cracked voice.

Thunder was his response. He could hear rain beginning to fall on the roof above him. Was there a storm in the forcast? Dallon couldn't remember.

"Kenny?" He let his legs dangle over the side of the bed before planting his feet on the floor. "Are you up?"

Nothing.

Dallon rose from the bed and slowly began to shuffle out of the room. He was a step away from the doorframe when he heard a laugh behind him.

"You're going to regret not killing him sooner."

Dallon spun around, freezing at the sight behind him. Something human-like with gray, crackled skin posed across his bed. It smiled darkly at him.

"Miss me, Dallon?" It asked, staring at Dallon with bright yellow eyes.

Dallon cried out, stumbling back as his muscles seemed to come to life all at once. He fell out of the room, quickly scrambling up and turning towards the bedroom.

There was nothing there.

Dallon backed away from the room. Something had been there. The words echoed in his head. You're going to regret not killing him sooner.

"You shouldn't have tried to kill me, Dallon." The voice laughed from right behind him.

He spun around, coming face to face with the creature. It grinned wickedly. "Remember your name, Dallon?"

Dallon moved to the side and ran past the creature. He could hear it laugh as he ran down the hallway. "Kenny!?" He cried out, worried to know what had happened to his boyfriend. "Ken?!"

He stumbled into the living room, breathing heavy. He could hear footsteps behind him.

"You can't run once you've been marked." The creature called out, "Can't you feel it calling you?"

Dallon's hand began to burn. He hissed, looking down at his palm. The symbol that was burned into his flesh was glowing magenta. He shook it, as if it would make the glow go away.

"You're going to pay for making a fool of me." The creature growled. It was practically upon him.

Dallon panicked. He ran towards the kitchen. Once there, he nearly tripped on the smooth floor as he scrambled to get to the knife drawer. He looked over his selection quickly, picking up the biggest one in his shaking hand.

"What did you do with Kenny?" He yelled as he slammed the drawer shut. He held the knife shakily in front of him, preparing for the creature to come for him.

He waited.

There was silence around him.

"Kenny?"

---

Kenny yawned, pushing himself up from the couch. He didn't remember falling asleep there. He rubbed his eye, looking around the dark room.

It was quiet.

Suddenly, the fireplace burst with flames. He jumped as the yellows and oranges shifted into dark hues of blue and purple in front of him.

"What the fuck?!" He cried out, watching as a figure appeared through the flames.

A man stepped out, wearing dark clothes and messy hair. His red eyes locked with Kenny's. "The sun finally sets on the evil eye!" He cried out, pointing to the floor, where the unnatural colored flames spread.

Kenny cried out as the flames zipped over the carpet. He jumped up, climbing over the back of the couch. He ran from the room as the flames continued to spread.

"Dallon!" Kenny cried out as he ran towards the bedroom. He reached out to grab the doorknob, but the door was pulled open to reveal someone who definitely wasn't Dallon.

A pale man with long, dark hair stood in the doorway, hissing and bearing fangs at him.

Kenny screamed, haulting his run to the room and shifting his direction.

"Dallon!"

---

Dallon had ducked down, hiding beside the refrigerator. He was shaking as thudding footsteps moved through the house.

"Dallon..." The creature was calling for him. "Dallon..."

It was getting closer. Dallon clutched the knife in his hand. "Where's Kenny?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Laughter was the response. Dallon shut his eyes. It had to be another dream. He couldn't be awake.

"What do you mean, Dallon?" The voice of the creature taunted, "I'm right here!"

Dallon opened his eyes, finding himself face to face with bright yellow eyes. In a moment of sheer terror, he cried out and shoved the knife forward. The blade went through the creature's lower chest.

A noice of shock escaped the creature. Dallon's eyes were on the knife handle. His hands still gripped it, but something was wrong. It had gone through material, and the creature wasn't wearing anything on its torso.

"Dal..."

Dallon looked up, watching what looked like a mirage fade away. The image of the creature ripped away, leaving Kenny's pale face behind.

"Oh my god." Dallon's hands released the knife, shaking as Kenny took a stumbling step back. "Ke... Oh my god."

Kenny looked at him, though it didn't seem like he was registering much. His hands hovered near the knife handle, but they never gripped it. Without a word, he fell to the floor.

"Kenny!" Dallon yelled. He practically dove down beside him, grabbing hold of his limp hand with his shaking grip. "Oh my god, It wasn't you-I Didn't-oh my god, no!"

Kenny stared up at the ceiling, giving no indication that he heard anything Dallon was saying.

Dallon let out a sob, horrified by what was happening. He had just stabbed his boyfriend in mistake of some demon from his dreams... This had to he a dream. He had to still be asleep!

"Sorry, Dallon."

Dallon was ripped away from Kenny by an invisible force and thrown back against a wall. He cried out, unable to move away from where he was now pinned. The floor began to glow magenta, following some sort of shape beneath Kenny's figure.

With the magenta glow, the creature stepped into the room, flashing its fangs at Dallon.

"This nightmare's real."